Fat Review: Cody’s Roadhouse

Forgive me, I’m still delirious from eating way too much.

So, I know I probably indirectly implied that I would try to lose weight starting this new year. You know, do the usual cliche resolutions like eat healthier, exercise more, budget more, yadda yadda.

Only took four days.

To be fair, the seedling of thought about going to this restaurant was planted weeks before 2011 officially started…so, really, I think I haven’t broken any resolutions YET (my one Chipotle run doesn’t count…and any food bought by parents doesn’t count either). So, naturally, I needed a good send-off meal before I relegated my life to eating gruel (aka salad). Would Cody’s be the proper place for that salute to food? Yes and no. With six friends.

I’m going to take a stab and say that Cody’s originated in Florida…but I’m not entirely sure. There are 14 locations all scattered around Florida, although they seem to be localized to anything along I-95 and westwards (Bradenton, The Villages, Ocala, etc.). It obviously has the normal roadhouse feel…something you would see at a Roadhouse Grill (do those things still exist?) or Logan’s. I used to think that Gainesville didn’t have a Roadhouse type of place…then realized that Texas Roadhouse qualifies (although from the outside it really doesn’t look like it does). Cody’s Roadhouse definitely fits the bill just from looking at its facade…and I mean, the outside decorations actually match its theme. Recall that the previous tenant was “Sake Cafe”….but it looked more like a Mexican restaurant than even On the Border looked when it preceded the “Cafe”. Obviously peanut shells were scattered throughout the inside, and peanuts were at every table. In other words, don’t worry about the atmosphere.

Then again, I wouldn’t mind eating the best cheeseburger in the world in the middle of a cave. But did I experience “the best of”? It depends on what you order…as is typical of these places. Any entree (which excludes sandwiches and burgers essentially) includes unlimited salad. Now, when you think unlimited salad at a sit-down place, you instantly think Olive Garden. Keep thinking Olive Garden. The salad was just mediocre, at best. Take lettuce, onions, cucumbers (blech), add a whole lotta ranch dressing that seemed like it was from a bottle at Publix (maybe a Publix brand bottle…nothing wrong with that at home, but at a Roadhouse? come on), and wah lah…salad that noone was asking seconds for. The rolls, however, did the save the day…kind of. I mean, buttered rolls will do anyone good. And with cinnamon butter? Even better….although personally I found it slightly lacking in cinnamon-ness and butteryness at the same time. It was there…but I don’t know, maybe it was for the better.

The entrees, however, were excellent (with exception to one person’s steak being cooked practically medium rare when asked medium). I had a ribeye, and it was cooked beautifully. I would have appreciated a little more salt and pepper, but I’m a guy who needs moderate to heavy seasoning on anything anyway. If you’re a meat purist, you’ll love it. Some of my friends ordered grilled chicken sandwiches and said they were excellent. The pork chops appeared to be good too, cooked to near perfection. My only complaint was with the side portion being somewhat small…but one I ordered mashed potatoes and two, I could barely finish my ribeye as-is.

Couldn’t even try dessert. Too full. Sorry.

Our waitress was wonderful and the food came out in a very reasonable time, with all of the food coming out at the same time (a remarkable feat for a table of 8). Granted, I’m hoping this isn’t like a Genghis Grill….but the place was packed. I could already see it was having a slight impact on Genghis.

Grade: B+/A-/I really can’t decide.

Pros: Wait staff friendly and prompt, good entrees
Cons: Salad left a lot to be desired, some side entrees may be somewhat small (get the baked potato in other words) A

Cody’s is open from 11AM to 10:30PM starting January 10th. All credit cards are accepted. Call-ahead seating available.

I really should just start a new series based on my weight-loss progress. Or lack there-of.